Building Mentor Capacity for Brokering in Informal Learning Environments

• In Event: Exploring the Affordances of Informal Learning Environments

Abstract

Research has demonstrated the importance of the learning support roles adults play to help youth navigate into areas of interest and career pathways. This study focuses on brokering which involves connecting youth to people, resources, programs, and other learning opportunities. We examined mentor practices in a 10-week out-of-school STEM program for middle-school aged girls, looking for roles they played, interactions with youth, goals, and challenges. Results revealed that different learning support roles were played prominently across different stages of the program, with only limited evidence of brokering. This work provides support to prior calls for more intentional programmatic design for brokering, and highlights opportunities to help mentors build capacity for brokering, including data-driven approaches.

Authors

• Denise Nacu, DePaul University

• Evelyn Flores, DePaul University

• Aneta Baran, DePaul University

• Dalavone Nina Keoborakot

• Nichole D. Pinkard, DePaul University